Council to rule on Rumiano request Monday

Rumiano Cheese Company officials will find out Monday whether or not they can build two structures that could potentially allow them to earn millions of dollars more per year.

The Crescent City Council will hold a public hearing and is slated to either approve or deny Rumiano's request for a 60 feet height variance for their property at 511 9th St. that would allow the company to build a whey dryer and a whey evaporator. The city currently has a height limitation of 40 feet for this area.

According to a letter Rumiano's sent to the city, the two additions would allow the cheese factory to process the nearly 20,000 pounds of whey  a by-product of making cheese  that the company produces per day. When this amount of whey is dried and processed it has a market value between $10,000 and $15,000.

In addition, the company wrote the construction would cost nearly $4.5 million, and that local contractors would be hired to complete the project.

However, if the request for the variance is denied, Rumiano officials said they would have to build four 25 feet high structures that would cost $1 million to $2 million more to build, and be less efficient than the taller dryer and evaporator.

Rumiano first tried to get the height variance approved by the Crescent City Planning Commission in May, but the panel denied the request 3-2 because it would violate the city's General Plan. Consequently, Rumiano filed an appeal with the city requesting approval of the height variance, which will go to public hearing at Monday's City Council meeting.

The council also will have a budget workshop one hour before its regular meeting.

Reach Nicholas Grube at
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Rumiano public hearing

What: The Crescent City Council will hold a public hearing regarding the Rumiano Cheese Company's request for a 60 feet height variance for their property at 511 9th St.

When: 6 p.m. Monday, following a budget workshop that starts at 5 p.m.